One-legged man fights to turn pro
Matt Betzold, a 26-year-old amateur mixed martial arts fighter from Phoenix, is in for a fight as he battles the…
Matt Betzold, a 26-year-old amateur mixed martial arts fighter from Phoenix, is in for a fight as he battles the Arizona Boxing Commission to get approved as a professional.
Betzold, who had to battle for approval for amateur MMA fights, has a 4-1 amateur record (3-1 if you don’t count his victory in an unsanctioned fight).
Although there’s no established guideline, the Arizona Boxing Commission prefers amateurs to have five fights before turning pro.
“Five seems kind of a rule of thumb,” said Dennis O’Connell, executive director of the boxing commission.
In Arizona’s amateur MMA fights, there are no blows to the head while a fighter is on the ground. And because Betzold competes without his prosthetic leg he fights from his knees, which is considered being on the ground, so he never has to fend off blows to the head.
But in pro MMA fighting, blows to the head are allowed while a fighter is on the ground. So the boxing commission is concerned for Betzold’s safety from punches and kicks. In other words, Betzold has another battle on his hands, and it promises to be tough.
“I wouldn’t say it’s uphill,” O’Connell said. “He’s going into new territory.”
“I’ve proved that because of my leg it’s not going to hinder me running through people,” said Betzold, who is married with two kids. “I know that the boxing commissioner has to look at the safety of the fighters but the fact of the matter is I’m dominating all of these fighters on the mat. Why can’t I fight?”